Improvement in water-meters



UNITED STATES PATENT 0FFIoE.

VHENRY B. HAYES, OF WOB URN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-METERS.

specification forming paaiof Letters Patent No. [92.990, dated July 1o, i817; application inea J une 21, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. HAYES, ofv

a hollow piston-romand with passages and valves, arranged to automatically ad mit and discharge the duid from opposite sides ot' the piston; and my invention consists in constructing the valves and their appliances so as to insure their quick and positive adjustment at each end ofthe stroke, independently of the movement of the piston.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of sufficient of a Water-meter to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a modification.

A is the cylinder, consisting of the glass body a, (to which no claim is here made, as it will constitute a separate application for Letters Patent,) and the heads b b tied together and to the body by bolts c c.

The piston B carries a suitable packing, so as to reciprocate with but little friction, and is provided -with two passages, one communieating with one end, j', ota hollow piston-rod, land the other with the other end, f', of said rod, which slides through suitable packingboxes at the ends of the cylinder, and within the inlet-pipe g and outlet-pipe g'.

rlhe piston is provided with two valves or sets of double valves, h h', each having two heads adapted to seats on opposite sides of the piston, and constructed so as to `open or close the communication between the passages and the chambers X X' on opposite sides of the piston. v

The two sets of valve-shafts are connected by a rock-lever, G, or other suitable mechanism, so as to insure a simultaneous, but reverse, movement of the two valves.

Water from the water-pipe gfiows into the end f of the piston, and through one passage into the chamber X, moving the piston in the direction of the arrow until the positions of the valves are reversed, when the Water from the other passage will flow into the chamber X reversing the motion of the piston, the

water in the chamber X then passing through the first-mentioned channel in the piston into the end f of the piston-rod and to the outlet.

The construction of the piston-head and arrangement of the valves `to open and close the passages, as specified, form no part of thisv invention, as they are the `subject of a prior application for Letters Patent. While the movements abovedescribed insure a reciprocation of the' piston, and a consequent measurement Aof thewater, the quantity of which is registered by any suitable mechanism, it has been found exceedingly difficult to operate the valves so as to insure the desired effect.

When the water Hows rapidly through the meter under a high pressure, the momentum of the piston is of itself sufficient to` bring the valve-shafts against the ends of the cylinlder and reverse the valves. But I have found that such an arrangement is not practical in an operative meter,;as under many circumstances the water iows very slowly or the pressureis but nominal. Under such conditions the piston will be moved Iforward until the valves are partly open when the countercurrents thus admitted at once to both sides of the piston instantly stop its motion.

My improvement consists in the application of a power generated by the movement of the piston, but independent of the latter, to reverse or adjust the valves, thus rendering their action certain, whether the piston travels rapidly or slowly, with much or little force.

One mode of carrying out the invention consists in the use of springs w, which are compressed by the piston as it moves, andare automatically released, as the piston reaches the end of itsmotion, and by their power re` verse or adjust the valves.

The position of the springs is not material. Inl Fig. 1 they are combined with rods k, sliding through the piston heads, and arranged to be struck by the valve-stems, and

the latter are prevented from yielding to the l spring-pressure by latches m, which catch on collars n on the stems, and have inclined ends o. Inclined studs p on the piston-heads, serve as bearings for the ends of the latches, when the piston reaches the end of its stroke, and

by elevating the latches release the valvestems, which are then suddenly and forcibly thrown inward, reversing the valves and the motion of the piston.

It will be apparent that this elect is produced regardless of the speed or force with which the piston moves, and it has been found that any head of water sufficient to overcome friction, and the force of the spring, and any movement of the piston, however slow, are sufficient to insure a continuous operation of the meter.

When arranged as shown iu Fig. 1, the latches will fall into place by their gravity, but springs x may be used to insure the movement when the parts are reversed or the' cylinder is vertical.

In place of springs the latches may constitute each an arm of a bell-crank lever, the other arm being weighted, as shown in Fig. 2, which also illustrates a modification, in which the spring is carried by the valve-shaft, thus avoiding the friction of the sliding rod k.

The latch catching on the collar or shoulder of the valve-spindle prevents its movement while the spring is compressed between the piston and head of the cylinder, but releases' the spindle as soon as it is raised by contact with the inclined lug.

Instead of a spiral spring a bow or rubber spring, or a body of air confined by a piston to be compressed on the movement of the meter-pistou may be used, or a weight may be raised, or any other arrangement may be adopted, whereby the motion of the piston is caused to accumulate power to be afterward employed in throwing the valves.

reciprocating piston by power generated from i the traveling piston, and stored, and suddenly and automatically released by the movement of the piston, as specified.

2. The combination, with the valves carried by the piston reciprocating in a cylinder, of a spring or its equivalent, in which power is stored by the movement of the piston and devices for suddenly releasing the spring and transmitting the power to the valves, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the piston, its valves, and latches for holding the same, devices for operating said latches and releasing the valves atthe ends of the stroke, and springs, weights, or equivalent devices, in which power is accumulated by the movement of the piston, arranged to operate the valves when released, as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my namev to this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

` H. B. HAYES.

Witnesses:

J. H. ADAMS, L. H. LATIMER. 

